Drug deal killings for ‘$60’

Police identify homicide victims

Art Pawlowski of Street Church Ministries gives an impassioned sermon on Sunday near the Calgary Drop-In Centre.

A deadly run-in that ended with two men killed in a notorious downtown park may have started over $60.

Police have identified the victims of Friday’s double homicide near the Langevin bridge and are notifying next of kin. Homicide investigators are saying little about motive and suspects, but word on the street is pointing to deadly stabbings over drug money.

"It was a bad drug deal. It was over $60. Why? Now, my buddy is dead over $60. You can’t put a price on a person. You cannot," said Maurice Boyer, who knew one of the victims.

Autopsies on both bodies are scheduled for this week.

Friends who identified one of the victims as Greg said he’d been supplying marijuana and crack cocaine to dealers. The second victim, Christian, was also a street-level dealer.

One had a slash wound to his side, and the other to his neck.

Both victims were declared dead at the scene.

The green space around 4th Avenue and 4th Street S.E., known as Needle Park, is haven for drug dealers and users.

City homicide detectives are interviewing several witnesses, said acting Staff Sgt. Chris Matthews.

Police said they have people in custody, but no charges have been laid.

"Every drug dealer in Calgary knows what happened. They don’t want to talk because they don’t want to be in trouble. They want to keep quiet," said Boyer.

Boyer, a self-described reformed drug dealer who now volunteers for the Calgary Street Church, was with the group for a community barbecue at the park Friday night.

A woman ran up, screaming for help for the two stabbing victims.

On Sunday, Art Pawlowski, pastor with the Calgary Street Church, returned to the park and responded to the deadly violence through a sermon.

"It is about the value of life. They were really listening. I think it’s cooled them off a bit," said Pawlowski.

Boyer said the level of violence among the park’s population is rising.

"When I was dealing, I did have my jaw broke. I had a knife pulled on me. I was in scary situations. It was getting worse, and now it’s unbelievable."